LETTER: Drivers put pedestrians in danger

Wednesday

May 28, 2008 at 12:01 AM

Drivers put pedestrians

Drivers put pedestrians

in danger

Because of somebody's carelessness behind the wheel, someone lost his life in the streets of New Bedford. Leo Costa, an elderly gentleman, in reasonably good health, was run over on Ashley Boulevard and consequently died of his injuries.

How many more lives need to be lost before drivers realize that someone crossing the street, even though not in the crosswalk, has the right to live? How far have we come that the motorists just run over anything and anyone that crosses their path?

Police departments throughout this land have to enforce the traffic laws more avidly and efficiently so that lives are spared and tragedies such as Mr. Costa's passing are averted.

Drivers should ask themselves, when driving on city streets and in a bit of a hurry, what the consequences will be if they are one minute or two late. If the driver had stopped to let Mr. Costa pass, he would have been late wherever he was going only a minute or two.

Why am I speaking up on this subject? I too could have lost my life a few years ago, when crossing in a southerly direction within the pedestrian lines in downtown New Bedford, had it not been for a co-worker walking behind me and grabbing my shoulder to make me stop.

You see, the driver of the automobile was turning left onto William Street from North Sixth and totally disregarded the fact that I was in the middle of the street crossing on the crosswalk, just before 8 o'clock in the morning on a clear day. Certainly he did not intend to run me over, but probably just daydreaming.

Stiffer fines or even jail time should be applied to incidents of this sort, but, for that to happen, the authorities have to be more vigilant of these infractions, or, on the other hand, implement a telephone reporting system in which the public can call in the license plate of the automobile that would not stop for the pedestrian, and an investigation eventually held.

But please, I ask drivers to stop for pedestrians. We have no chance against a motor vehicle, just like poor Mr. Costa.